In their third league game of the season under the Guwahati sun, Delhi Capitals won the toss and opted to chase. However, disaster loomed from the first over as opener Yashasvi Jaiswal hit Khaleel Ahmed for five boundaries with some incredible shot-making. Soon, England skipper Jos Buttler joined the attack, and the two piled on 68 runs in the powerplay for no loss.
Jaiswal powered to his fifty off just 25 balls, eventually falling for 60 off 31 deliveries after an opening stand of 98 runs. His experienced partner took charge of the innings to register his second half-century of the season, briefly claiming the Orange Cap with his 79 off just 51 deliveries.
Delhi’s Mukesh Kumar was the only bowler who showed any promise, returning figures of 4-0-36-2. However, even he endured blows in Shimrom Hetmyer’s 21-ball cameo of 36 runs as the Royals posted 199/4 on the board.
In response, the hosts effectively sealed the deal in the first over itself, thanks to Trent Boult’s double-wicket maiden, his second of the season just three games deep in the tournament. Prithvi Shaw was the first of his victims, who fell to a Sanu Samson screamer behind the wickets, while Manish Pandey, playing his first game of the season, succumbed to a golden duck.
Lalit Yadav and David Warner provided some hope in the middle overs as they anchored the innings, hoping for an explosive finish at the death. However, once Yadav fell for 38 off 24 deliveries, no other batter stepped up to the plate.
Warner remained not-out until the penultimate over of the match but was unable to shift gears throughout his knock of 65 off 55 deliveries, and the side eventually finished at 144/9. Apart from Boult’s 4-1-29-3, Yuzvendra Chahal was highly clinical, ending with even better figures of 3/27 from his four overs.